Eclipse of the Future Past: A Fairy Tail Story

Chapter 22: The Future Ahead

"N-no... What are you saying?! I can not leave you here!" I forcefully grabbed my other self's arm as I finally started crying as well. "C-come on! We both have to go! I... I would've never came as far as I did just by myself! I didn't even find this solution alone! We both did!"

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"WE MUST GO HOME TOGETHER!"

Growing very tired of my repeated insistence. My other self finally snapped as she pushed me away with teary eyes, showing jus how broken she was at that point. "DON'T YOU GET IT! THERE IS NO HOME FOR ME ANYMORE! EVEN IF I RETURN, I... WOULDN'T FIT ANYWHERE NEAR YOU!" Placing her hands on the floor and looking down in embarrassment, my other self kept on crying her heart out even more than before, wanting to be left alone at all cost. "P-please... Just... leave... I don't wanna suffer anymore. L-let this be my end. I... I beg you"

I... I just didn't know what else to do at that point. And for as much as I were to keep talking to my other self, there just didn't seem to be any way of changing her mind. Ergo, I then slowly stood back up, and doubtfully walked all the way to the portal.

Having the way back to my world right in front of me, I suddenly stopped on my steps as I took out the golden keys my mom gave me, as well as her dear whip. And then, before I could cross the portal and go back, an interesting thought took form inside my mind. All while I also took out the golden pocket watch my mother from the future gave me...

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...and crushed it in pieces with my bare hand.

That's right... The only method back to my timeline was now gone. But I did not care about it at all any longer. My mind was at peace... and there certainly was someone else who required all of my attention at that very moment.

In the blink of an eye, I threw all of the golden keys and my mother's whip through the portal, sending them back to their world. And then, as that same portal began closing for good, I turned around and rushed towards my other me, pulling her closer and embracing her in a hug.

"H-h-hey! What are you...?!" she asked in surprise. "Y-you should be gone by now! The portal...! The portal is closing! Just leave! Leave before it's late!"

"I won't!" I firmly replied, after which I embraced my counterpart even tighter much to her surprise. "I... I could never imagine... what you have been through. What you've experienced this whole time. There is no way... I could ever compare myself to you"

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"BUT... if there is one thing similar between both of us besides just our looks... it's the fact that we now share the same fate"

"O-other 'me'..."

"Even if I were to go back to my time, I would just find another 'me' who lives happily there, right? I wouldn't have anywhere to go. But... even if that's the case for both of us... I'M GLAD. Glad because thanks to what you and I did here..."

At that exact moment, I smiled softly as I cried my heart out all over my other self, trying to make her understand that it was okay... and that everything would be just fine from now on.

"...there is now a version of us out there..."

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